The north wind howled fiercely, and heavy snow blanketed the ground.
Time truly flies; before one realizes, a year has passed.
At last, when the north wind momentarily ceased, Jiang Yuan successfully gathered a tael of Golden Essence.
He focused his mind, aided by the Heart Monkey, Wood Mother, and Intent Horse, and the two deities, having no openings to seek, could only witness him gathering the Golden Essence.
With all four herbs in hand, he had Huang Po mix them and sent them into the Golden Cauldron and Jade Furnace beneath his navel.
His spirit entered the cauldron, where the four herbs resided, precisely the complete medicine within the cauldron, waiting for the fire to burn the herbs, so that the elixir could be formed.
Jiang Tong'er felt joy in his heart but did not forget what his master had said; he first needed to invite five people, thus completing the seven steps of elixir formation.
Gathering herbs and controlling the fire was quite easy for him.
However, the subsequent steps of refining, nurturing, copulating, and the Nine Transformations into Golden Elixir were by no means simple; he could not be careless.
Having successfully gathered the herbs, Jiang Tong'er picked up his dust whisk, rose from the mossy stone, and returned to the cave dwelling to share the good news with his master.
Before long, Jiang Yuan returned to the Three Star Immortal Cave.
The cave was somewhat cold; many disciples had left over generations, and no one had unraveled the mysteries within the master’s disc.
Those who practiced the side paths for two or three years often descended the mountain, later like Da Hui, flaunting their skills in the mountains, discussing the art of resting and sleeping, only to be harmed by tigers.
As he walked to the Yao Platform, he indeed saw his master sitting high on the altar waiting for him.
No matter how he practiced, his master knew he had succeeded and would surely come to congratulate him, thus waiting for him here before his success.
This was the tacit understanding between the master and disciple.
Jiang Yuan stepped forward, bowed, and said, “Master, I have succeeded in gathering herbs, and today I share this joy with you!”
The master looked Jiang Tong'er up and down, and with keen insight, he saw the herbs in the cauldron, clasped his hands, and smiled, “Good, good, good! Tong'er, you have completed two steps of elixir formation; there are still five steps remaining, and the path to the elixir will be complete, granting you immortality.”
Jiang Yuan smiled and said, “All thanks to Master’s teachings!”
The master replied, “How many times must I say this? If all were my功, why do I not see anyone among the masses in the mountains who has attained the right path? This is your wisdom, Tong'er. You still know the remaining step of controlling the fire, but I need to explain the details of fire control to you. This is not much different from the time of refining gold, yet seeing you weary, rest for a year or two before mastering the fire control and refining the herbs in the cauldron.”
Jiang Yuan nodded and conversed with his master.
…
Meanwhile, in the Sacred Mountain of Ling,
The Tathagata resided in the Great Thunder Sound Temple, where a Bodhisattva sat upright below.
This Bodhisattva had “large ears, a broad face, a plump body, a heart full of spring joy, and eyes sparkling like autumn waves,” and was indeed Maitreya Bodhisattva, one of the Eight Bodhisattvas.
The Tathagata spoke, “Maitreya Bodhisattva, why have you come here?”
Maitreya Bodhisattva joined his palms in greeting, and after the salutation, he said, “I have come for the Eastern Buddhist teachings.”
Upon hearing this, the Tathagata replied, “The Eastern Buddhist teachings were created by the disciples of Bodhi in the Ling Tai Fang Cun Mountain's Xie Yue San Xing Cave. I have spoken with Bodhi; this Eastern Buddhist teaching cannot attain the right conditions.”
Maitreya Bodhisattva pointed to the east and said, “World Honored One, I observed that in the past, the purple qi came from the east for thirty thousand miles, and noble people arrived. After the noble person departed, the World Honored One’s boundless light extinguished. However, at this moment, the Eastern Buddhist teachings carry the remaining purple qi from the east, and the World Honored One cannot stop it. This momentum, in the Western Bull Hezhou, no one can obstruct.”
The Tathagata said, “During this period, my Buddha will not perish.”
Maitreya Bodhisattva joined his palms in reverence and said, “World Honored One, I wish to learn this teaching.”
The Tathagata asked, “Is it true?”
Maitreya Bodhisattva replied, “It is true.”
The Tathagata inquired, “What is this teaching?”
Maitreya Bodhisattva said, “I have once transformed and inquired; this teaching is called ‘Zen,’ created by the disciples of Bodhi, Guangxin, in the Ling Tai Fang Cun Mountain's Xie Yue San Xing Cave, where there are already written works.”
The Tathagata sighed, “Ling Tong, Ling Tong! How is it that no such talents emerge from the Western Bull Hezhou? This Eastern Buddhist teaching, called ‘Zen,’ if it is like this, Maitreya Bodhisattva, will you enter the mountains to practice?”
Maitreya Bodhisattva smiled and said, “Indeed. I will go to practice Zen teachings. World Honored One, I have a premonition; this Eastern Zen teaching is fierce and brilliant, with no obstacles in the way.”
The Tathagata pondered for a moment and said, “If it is so, you may go. Once you learn this teaching, it will also benefit my Western Blissful World. If in a year, my teachings perish, and yours arise, you shall become the Buddha.”
Maitreya Bodhisattva joined his palms and bowed again.
…
Unbeknownst to all, a year had passed.
On this day,
In the Three Star Immortal Cave, spring was warm and flowers bloomed.
Jiang Yuan saw Zhen Jian inviting many senior brothers to gather under the old cypress tree, and he was invited to come here.
Jiang Yuan wore plain clothes and saw that under the old cypress tree, there were more than ten people, most of whom were unfamiliar.
He called out to Zhen Jian and asked, “Junior Brother, what is the generation of the disciples here?”
Zhen Jian replied, “Senior Brother, many belong to the ‘Ru’ and ‘Xing’ generations; there are more of the ‘Ru’ generation and fewer of the ‘Xing’ generation.”
Jiang Yuan nodded and said, “In cultivation, one loses track of time; I seldom see various junior brothers.”
Zhen Jian said, “Senior Brother, it is difficult; you focus on cultivation.”
Having been invited here, Jiang Yuan also had the intention to meet his junior brothers.
He saw many of them showing off their skills under the old cypress tree, and he was quite interested, not wanting to disturb them, only observing some side paths, finding a few intriguing aspects.
After gathering herbs, he felt more intelligent, often seeing left-hand methods, which he found easy to learn.
Among the junior brothers here, many learned various side paths; one studied the Mo family, skilled in mind and hand, while another learned to invite immortals and assist the phoenix, with a spiritual essence that was agile.
If they focused on their cultivation, they might attain the right fruit in the coming years.
Jiang Yuan said, “Zhen Jian, in these years, how many junior brothers have left the mountain?”
Zhen Jian shook his head and said, “Not yet counted, perhaps dozens; I do not know about the previous generations of disciples.”
Zhen Jian was a disciple of the fifth generation, and with such vast wisdom, he could not know.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan had a rough idea; fearing that the master had taught out disciples, there might be over a hundred.
With people coming and going, he could hardly remember; the few he remembered were mostly Da Hui, Zhen Jian, and others.
Just as he was pondering, he suddenly saw his master approaching.
The crowd saw him and hurriedly tidied themselves, saying, “We pay respects to Master!”
The master said, “You all go and cultivate; do not be negligent.”
The crowd bowed and left, leaving only Jiang Yuan alone.
Jiang Yuan asked, “Master.”
The master said, “Tong'er, follow me out of the cave; there is someone seeking you for cultivation.”
Jiang Yuan, upon hearing this, did not understand and said, “What does Master mean? I uphold your teachings and act as a small cultivator; today my cultivation is not yet complete, and I have not attained the profound truths. Why seek me for cultivation?”
The master smiled and said, “Indeed, it is someone seeking you for cultivation; I am not deceiving you. Follow me out of the cave.”
Having said that,
The master pulled Jiang Yuan and led him outside the cave.
Jiang Yuan followed, and when the two of them reached the Three Star Immortal Cave, they opened the main door wide, and indeed saw someone outside.
Upon closer inspection, it was a smiling Bodhisattva, radiating法光, truly remarkable.
Such an image was easy to recognize; it was Maitreya Bodhisattva.
Maitreya Bodhisattva joined his palms and greeted, “Bodhi Dao Brother, Guangxin Zhenren.”
The master returned the greeting, “Maitreya Bodhisattva.”
Jiang Yuan also returned the greeting, saying, “I dare not accept the title of ‘Zhenren.’”
He had not yet formed his Golden Elixir, and his cultivation was not yet complete; how could he have the face to be called ‘Zhenren’? If others knew, wouldn’t it be a laughingstock? He absolutely did not dare to accept this title.
If he were to succeed in the path of the elixir, then discussing titles would not be too late; at this moment, it was not appropriate.
Seeking monthly tickets, seeking continued reading.
(End of Chapter)